AMRC spreads its wings

Boeing and Sheffield University are negotiating the development of a new aircraft manufacturing research centre in Denmark.

The facility would be a branch of Sheffield University's Advanced Manufacturing Research Centre (AMRC).

The multi-million pound centre, located in South Yorkshire's Advanced Manufacturing Park, was built in collaboration with Boeing and opened in 2004. Since then, AMRC branches have opened in Australia, Italy, the Netherlands, Germany and India.

AMRC and Boeing recently signed a contract with several Danish firms and institutions to signify the beginning of a 90-day exploratory period. In this time, the AMRC and Boeing hope to establish a location for the centre and gain necessary government approvals.

Prof Keith Ridgway, AMRC co-founder and director of research, said the Danish branch would promote research in areas such as sustainable advanced manufacturing.

He added that sustainability is something Danish companies have a vast amount of expertise in. The technology developed at the Danish centre would be directly integrated into production lines at Boeing and its suppliers' facilities.

'With the AMRC in the UK we have helped British suppliers to become more competitive and are able to better supply Boeing,' he said. 'Now we want to do the same thing in Denmark.'

Ridgway said Boeing and the AMRC hope to build the new facility in the Midtjylland region of Denmark. Boeing and AMRC have several Danish companies and institutions interested in promoting regeneration in this area. These include Aerotech, Multicut, Terma, Unimerco, Aarhus University and the Centre for Sikkerhedsindustrien.

Siobhan Wagner